Veteran actor Jonathan Holmes plays a ferocious giant called Childchewer in Disney’s The BFG, the cinematic brainchild of figurative giants Roald Dahl and Stephen Spielberg.  In this interview, Holmes tells of his time as a giant among men.

 

FAULT: In playing a character from such a beloved book, did you feel any extra pressure or responsibility?

Jonathan: I think we all felt a huge sense of responsibility. But knowing we were in the hands of such an extraordinary creative team certainly gave us confidence.

 

FAULT: In The BFG, how were you guys able to shoot the interactions between giants and regular-sized people without relying on CGI characters?

Jonathan: Many of the scenes had to be shot in three different scales. And consequently shot three times. Giant scale, BFG scale (he’s half the size of the other giants), and human scale. So we would have various balls, poles, etc. to make sure our eyelines were correct. It was quite the operation!

 

FAULT: How much makeup did it take to turn you into such a convincing giant? Or were the effects added in editing?

Jonathan: All giants were shot using ‘performance capture’ technology. We had to wear tight suits with dots on them and dots all over our faces that picked up every nuance of our performance. The animators then animated to that.

FAULT: How did you approach playing such an unconventional character?

Jonathan: We were very fortunate to have a month or so of rehearsal to get used to the technology and to create these characters. Terry Notary, one of the pioneers of performance capture from the acting perspective, helped hugely in finding the physicality of these creatures. We spent a good deal of time improvising.

 

FAULT: How did your experience working with Steven Spielberg differ from your experiences working with other directors?

Jonathan: The main difference was the technology we used. Because the cameras would only pick up those of us who were ‘dotted’, Steven could direct us whilst actually being physically in the scene. Which, as you can imagine, was a huge thrill for all of us.

 

FAULT: What makes your character happy (besides eating children)?

Jonathan: A good hair day!

 

FAULT: Is there any food in the real world that you think tastes worse than a snozzcumber?

Jonathan: Overcooked vegetables. And marzipan.

 

FAULT: Is there anything else we can look forward to seeing you in?

Jonathan: I’m working on an animation series and a video game – but sadly I’m not able to tell you much more…

 

FAULT: What is your FAULT?

Jonathan: I have a ten year old daughter who would tell you most things are my FAULT.

 

Words: Cody Fitzpatrick